Gearing up for NIE Book Sale

Sanborn is this year's partner school

January 4, 2013

It's that time of year again the time when books start pouring into The Alpena News offices.

We're gearing up for our annual Newspapers in Education Book Sale, and while the event doesn't take place until Feb. 2, we already are receiving lots of donations of used books from the public.

The nationally-recognized NIE program involves The Alpena News supplying a number of area classrooms with newspapers that are used for educational purposes. Proceeds from the book sale make operating the NIE program possible.

"The NIE program is something that we are glad to be a part of," said Circulation Manager Ken Pokorzynski. "Through the program, we put newspapers in the hands of local students and area classrooms to use on a daily basis to help them with their school studies. It is from the book sale that we get the majority of the funding to cover the costs of supplying the newspapers to the classrooms."

In conjunction with the book sale, The Alpena News each year partners with an elementary school that receives the newspapers. Students, staff and parents at the selected partner school conduct a book drive which adds tremendously to all the other books donated by the public.

This year's partner school is Sanborn Elementary School."We are extremely appreciative of Sanborn's willingness to participate in our efforts by being this year's partner school," Pokorzynski said. "We are looking forward to working with the school as they collect books for our upcoming sale."

Pokorzynski also said one of the most rewarding aspects of the NIE Book Sale is the recognition that the newspaper gives the students following the book sale.

"We really enjoy going into the school afterwards and personally thanking the students for their efforts in collecting books," he said. "No matter what school we pick, the students and their teachers and their parents always seem to embrace the effort."

To date, the public also has been quite generous in giving their used books to the sale. Already, many boxes of paperbacks, hardcovers, VHS tapes, cookbooks and other books on a wide assortment of topics have been donated.

The book sale will take place at the APlex, along with the newspaper's annual Business Expo. Anyone else with donations of books is welcome to drop them by the newspaper office Monday through Friday during regular business hours.